The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-03-23
4 DL;H RIDGE ROMANCE.
The First Eu>:,nud VALVES Ills EI:i
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In all tue South there is 10 more
romantic region than that beyond the
Blue Ridge mountains, IN North Carroll
na, where the wolf and the Indian We
play their part, as in the days of early
/ settlement. In Jackson county a vast
tract Of land is owned by the Cherokees
the eastern band Of this once power
ful tribe having there their chief estate
Seated by Il coy fire the other night,
! il a committee room IL the capitol.
! Senator Eiias related a curious story.
He said that in 1862 stalwart noun
/ taineer named H&Erick, who np to that
! time had managed to avoid the var and
lis attendant features OF volunteering OF
being conscriptel, brought 4 buxom
wife with him from Swain county into
Jackson county, and made his home in
this quiet and lovely cove IN the Indian
reservation.
Months passed The pair we're de-
voted. The young wife experienced al
the delights of . thoroughly primitive
existence. But this was not to last
There was regiment OF Cherokees in
/ the service Of the State, under the com
mand OF old Colonel Thomas. One day
an officer Of this regiment returned and
found Harlrick in the cove. The latter was
conscripted and hurried to the front.
His wife next heard from him in North
ern Virginia. Letters were infrcQuent,
messages seldom came.
In 1864 the wife-to whom pair OF
twins, boy and 4 girl, had been born
learned that her husband had dlsap-
peared; that after his name on the roll
of his company was only that dreadful
entry, missing"
In 1865 the war ended, and with its
close came to her the news that her hus-
band had deserted--gone over to the
enemy. Year after year passed. The
wife kept the vigil OF love and YEARLY
waited for the missing husband. who
never came.
There were wooers enough, and ''the
widow, as she was called in the neigh
borhood talk, had what were thele con-
sidered good offers. One patient lover
named Bowers, thrice rejected, perse-
vered, and in 1876 won the prize OF his
devotion. He brought lis effects to his
wife's home in the cove.
Ten years more passed and 1856 came.
Not one word of the long lost first hus-
band had been heard since the returning
soldiers brought news in 1863 OF Ham
rick's desertion. True as the wife's de-
votion was to her second husband, she
had vet warm spot in her simple heart
for the first, and in her rude, uncultured
way she even woye half romance out
OF the great and apparently pnendlng
mystery Of his absence.
One bright day last summer a stranger
came to Bowcrs's home IL the cove. The
place wits in most respects like it was il
1868, for changes II the mountain wiids
are made slowly. Bowers was not at
home. The wife was now 4 buxom
woman OF forty years, far tidier in ap-
pearance and with much more natural
grace and sprightliness of manner than
the average woman in that section. The
stranger asked who lived there. lie was
told ''the Bowers family" In hos
pitable manner lie was asked IL the
house, where presently came to their
lHE OilS Va Si-A, .eA.>t sA4S
other OF nine years.
At dinner time the family received two
more additions-a young man and young
woman, about twenty-three years OF age,
exceedingly alike in face and manner.
The stranger asked, ''Who are these?
ssThey are Hamricks's,' was the reply
of the good wife; s'my children by my
first husband" People in the noun
tains in many cases loved to talk-in
fact, are not infrequently garru.ous-
and in half an hour the wife had told
the story of her first marriage and tie
deep mystery which had ended it. The
stranger listened attentively, and just as
the story was concluded Bowers came il.
4 neighbor came in, and soon learned
the story, too. The wife hustled about, OF
course, excited, but not in tears. Ham
rick and Bowers talked together.
The neighbors, after the manner Of
neighbors all the world over, told the
news to people within reach, and next
day these came to hear and see. \ few,
very few, had remembrance OF Ham
rick; not vivid but faint, for lie had
lived in that section but a little while, OF
course.
Presently some loquacious neighbor
said to Bowers: "Well, what are You
going to do about IT.?
"About what?' was the reply.
"Why, about that man Hamrick. Hes
your wife's husband.
This put new face on the matter.
Bowers had not thought OF it in that
way, neither had the wife. She broke
into tears.
There were Il dozen people il the
house. All were listening and looking
with rude curiosity.
The house seemed cr;lmped. bowers
said: ''Lets go outdoors. All we.lt.
No sooner had they arrived in the
ward than the wife went to Bowers and
threw her arms about him.
At this whatever manliness there was
in Hamrick came to the surface and
asserted itself. He said: III tel you
what I'll do, people; ] don't want 70
make no disturbance and Iii go rgnt
back where l came from.
i That was ali he said. The crowd hall
spoke, half nodded assent to the propo-
sition and plan in one. Right there,
under the trees, the matter was fixed as
if in court before 4 iary. Hamrick sad
he was satisfied, AND declared that THIS
time he would go '.t.or good. He told
the people, his vie, his children, al
goodbye. Only tAe wife cried: not
| through any Senti4.cnta:ity about tie
situation, blst ou1 OF pure emotion ana !: